Entering employee information

[hillsboro15269]

First of all, thank you so much to those who answered my previous question. I got a lot of useful tips and advice. Thanks!

I'm trying to set up my employees. The various search menus are telling me how to enter W-2s, and that's not at all what I need. 

I own a business with 5-6 preparers under me. I've sent out the invites as "Employee - training and support," as I was told by Customer Support, but several of them ended up getting full Admin permission. That's a little scary, how that would be able to happen in the first place. 

The first employee started using, and overwrote my information to input her own, and since the system had changed her from Employee to Admin, she was able to do that. I certainly don't want that to happen every time I add a new employee. Since I'm setting them up as "Employee - Training and Support" I'm not sure what else I can do to prevent them from accidentally gaining access.

I was expecting to have to enter the PTIN and other information for all my employees. It seems that the system allows them to do that themselves? Except, I don't see how it could, short of allowing them to overwrite previous preparers' information, which obviously I don't want them to do. If they don't have Admin permissions, they shouldn't be able to do that. I would rather do it myself. But I don't see anything in any menu that allows me to do that. Any ideas?

[Accountant-Man]

Why would your employee enter her info over yours? Just tell her "Don't do that?"

[hillsboro15269]

Because that was the only place to enter her information. I hadn't set her up as a separate employee yet, because I don't know how to do that. Thus, the question.

If she hadn't done that, the return would have been completed as me. Which is equally wrong.

[Accountant-Man]

None of my employees enter their own information. I am the only "preparer."

[hillsboro15269]

If you have no employees who prepare taxes, then sure, this is not an issue for you.

If you're saying that  you have employees who prepare taxes under your PTIN, that's illegal.

I guess I have to indicate in this forum "What's the legal way to...." ?

[Accountant-Man]

I review and sign every return, so I am the only one who is a preparer. Do yours sign returns?

[Accountant-Man]

You can add preparers under Tools Options.

[hillsboro15269]

Ah. Well, in this state, if an employee does any work on a return, they must have their own PTIN and be fully licensed by the state.

And under "Tools > Options > Firm/Preparer Info" there's only room for 2 preparers. What do I do if there are more than 2 preparers at my firm?

[Accountant-Man]

My experienced employees have PTINs, because of the rule that says "if they substantially prepare" returns. The juniors don't make any decisions,  so they don't need PTINs. I have the most experience, I make decisions, with clients, of course, so only I sign.

[sjrcpa · Accepted solution]

I only enter as Preprers those who sign tax retruns. Everyone who works on tax returns in my office has a PTIN. Not everyone signs returns.

[George4Tacks]

@sjrcpa How do you limit other preparers/workers from "messing" up a tax return you have worked on?

[Accountant-Man]

Tell them, "don't mess it up." Or else.

[George4Tacks]

@hillsboro15269 Are you hearing what these network preparers are telling you?
Also, start a very disciplined and regular series of backups. Enough so if one of those dolts that work for you don't listen, you can recover what YOU did.

[George4Tacks]

Set up Preparers https://accountants-community.intuit.com/articles/1857796-adding-or-editing-proseries-preparer-infor...

[hillsboro15269]

There's only room for 2 preparers there. What do I do when both of those are already filled in?

[TAXOH]

After you enter the 2nd preparer press enter twice and you can enter more.